Safety ax



March 3, 1931. o. MILLER r-:T AL 1,795,227

SAFETY Ax y Filed OCT.. 50. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l \N| N1 N1 ATTORNEYMarch-3, 1931. D. L. MILLER ET AL SAFETY AX Filed' Oct. 30, 1929 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY P atentecl Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STTES PATE-'NTOFFICE: -g

DANIEL L. MILLER, or MoNRoEToN, AND'WILLIAM E, PELTON, oF CANTON,PENNSYL- VANIA SAFETY Ax Application fiiea october so, 192s. serial No.403..,581.

This invention relates to cutting tools of the ax or hatchet type, andis more particularly concerned with a structure of this'type in whichthe cutting' blade is mounted; for C movement from an exposed cuttingposition to a concealed inoperative position in which the cutting edgeis protected, the cutting head folding into and being embraced between abifurcation formed in the handle head.

An object of the invention is the provision of an ax or hatchet of thistype having a c ut-v ting blade folding into an inclosing extension ofthe handle distinguished by simplicity of' structure and convenient ofoperation.

A feature of the invention consists in the provision of a handle portionhaving a rigid bifurcated guard head extending longitudinally of itsaxis and approximating in outline that of the cutting blade with thecutting 2 blade pivoted at the upper non-cutting end between the outerends of the bifurcation for swinging movement from a cutting positionsubstantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the guard headand handle to an 55 inoperative edge-protected position within saidguard head, means being provided for detachably locking the cuttingblade in operative cutting and inoperative guarded positions,

The invention consists in the constructions, arrangements andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed and will be moreclearly understood from the following detailed specification which is tobe read in l conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming partthereof and in which Figure l is a view in side elevation of a foldingliatchet type tool construct-ed in accordance with the present inventionand enibodyingone form of tool head and locking device.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section throuOh the hatchet blade andguard heac a 45 taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l.

tion taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l and illustrating the sectionalconstruction of the handle and guard. y

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of a modified Figure 7 is a transversevertical section on Y the line 7 7 of Figure 6 illustrating theoperation of the locking means for the ax head.

Figure 8 is a perspective detail of the latch# ing spring arin shown inFigure 6.

Figure 9 is a Viewl Vin side elevation of an ax having a modified forniof latching means. Figure l0 is a perspective detail of the latching armshown in Figure 9. y

.Referring to the drawings by numerals and with particular reference toFigures l, 2 and 3, l indicates coinpleinental rectilinear handlevsections which may take the form of metal stampings with flat abuttinginner faces and Xedly connected by a plurality of traversing rivets 2.These sections decrease in thickness toward the front end of the handlegiving a tapered conformation in cross .section with the top and bottomfaces of the sections rounded to oval form providing a convenient handgrip. At the forward ends of the rectilinear portion of the handlesection they are Y flattened andtransversely enlarged to formeompleniental guard plates 3 and 4 having an outline approximating thatof the cutting blade 5 of the hatchet or axwith the lower eclge of theplates 3 and et notched out as at 6, Figure l,

The guard plates 3 and 4 are in .i

parallel spaced relation providing thereby a rrigid bifurcated guardheadfor the handle. lheir outer edges are rounded on the curvature of acircle as shown, corresponding to the curvature of the upper non-cuttingedge of the blade v5 which is pivotally mounted therebetween on thecenter ofsaid curvature by means of a rivet or other pivot-ing element 7passing through the opposite side guard v Y plates 3 and 4 Mld vthroughan alined bore in Figure 3 is a transverse longitudinal secthe blade 5.In the form of the invention shown in Figures l and 2, thev uppernoncutting edge of the blade 5 is formed with an integral hammer headextension ;8- projecting above the upper edge of the side plates 3 and4. ln the operative position o'f the blade 5 .shown in Figure 1 it isheld in detachably locled relation to the inclosing guard plates 3 and 4by means ot' a locking stud 9 extending inwardly from the outer end ofan elongated spring arm 10 pinned or otnerwise anchored at its rear endto a side plate 4 and projecting through an opening of correspon dingdiameter in theside plate4 and into a .similar and alined opening in theupper end ot the blade 5. A second locking opening 1'1 is termed in theblade at a radial distance from the stud 9 of the locking arm equal totlnt ot' the iirst lockingopen'ing' and at a 90 angle thereto. Bypulling the locking pin 9 outwardly in the position ot' the blade shownin Figure 1, the latter may be swung or folded inpwardly ann in betweenthe spaced guard plates 3 and 4 unt-il the second locking openin 11alines with the pin 9 which is then released to lock the blade ininoperative position with its cutting edge alining with and guarded bythe corresponding curved rear edge 12 of the bifurcation formed by sai-dplates. The lower side edge of the blade as thus enclosed and protectedwill be exposed by the notched out portions 6 for engagement by thelingers in witlnlrawing the blade to active cutting position assuggested by the dotted line showing in Figure 1. Pre-ferably, the blaue5 adjacent this edge will be provided with a linger notch or notches 13to facilitate gripping by the lingers and withdrawal ot the blade tocutting position. hammer head extension S at thc upper end of the bladeprojects sutliciently beyond the edge ot the side plates to clear saidedges when the bladeis swung to and 'from folded position. rl`heprovision of the guard plates 3 and 4 extending longitudinally of theaxis of the handle and simulating approximately the outline ot' thecutting blade permits the blade to be snugly housed therein when ininactive guarded position with its cutting edge fully protected andwithout presentingany awkward pro-tuberances interfering` with compactstorage oi the tool or with its carriage on the person. l

ln Figures 4 and 5 ot the drawings a somewhat modilied torni of themea-ns for detachably locking` the blade in position is shown. l'n thisform ot the tool similar handle sections 1a? inter-joined by traversingrivets 2a employed and similar side plates 3a and 441th the guard headextension oit the handle are also used. These guard plate sections alsohave their lower edges notched out as at 6a to exposethe lower side edgeo'l' the blade 5a in its protected position.

rEhe outer end of the side plates 3a, 4a are, however, rounded on thecurve of a circle and at alined points in the vertical diameter ot thecircle are formed with tapered notches 14 therein (Figure 5). The edgeof the cutter blade 5a. in the position shown in Figure The' 4 is formedwith a similar notch 15 in its upper edge and a second notch 1G spacedtherefrom at approximately 900. The upper non-cutting end ot the blade5a is pivotally mounted between the outer end of the spaced plates 8a,4a by means of a pivot stud such as the rivet 16a passing tliroughalinedbores in the blade 5a, plates 3a, 4a and the embracing spaced sideplates 17, 18 ot a Vlhe plates 17,4 V1S, as will be seen from Figures 4and 5, ex-

locling head for the blade.

tend upwardly above the outer edge ot the blade and side plates and arebelled out to Yform a hollow'hammerhead 19 at the upper end of a neckportion 20. TJertically extending slots 21 are formed at alincd pointstransversely ot the neck portion 2O and the lower portion ot the head 19and guide the outwardly extending ears or lifting fingers 22 formed attheupper end of a tapered locking dog 23 (Figure 5) adapted to extenddownwardly into a notch 15 or 16 in the edge of the cutter blade" whenalined with the notches 14 in the upper edge of the side plates 3a, 4oto lock the blade to said side plates in Veither operative cutting` orinoperative guarded positions. This locking dog is normally presseddownwardly to locking position by means of a coiled spri 24 encirclingthe stud 25 projecting upwardly from the upper end of the dog within thehollow hammer head `19. As shown, this stud projects through an openingin the upper face or" the hammer head, permitting the stud to extendupwardly therethrough when the ears 22 are lifted to withdraw thelatchingdog.

As in the iirst form ot the tool described. the cutter blade 5a extendsat right angles to the longitudinalv axis ot"y the handleld in itsoperative position and is locked therein by the dog 23 extending intothe alined notches 14 and 15 in the side'plates and in the edge ot thecutter blade. To swingl the cutter blade to inoperative protectedposition. the ears 22 are engaged by the fingers and lifted upwardly andthe blade swung through an arc ot 900 to bring its second edge notch 16in line with the edge notches 14 ot tne side plates 3a, 4a whereupon thelatching dog 23 is permitted to enter and loch the cutter blade in itsinoperative position with its cutting edge protected by thecorrespondingly curved rear face 12a of the bifurcation, the lowerside'tace of the cutter blade being exposed by the notch 6a so that itslinger .notch or notches 13a maybe readily engaged in returning theblade to operative cutting position.

lVhere a hammerhead is not desired in the tool and a cutting blade aloneis to be provided. the constructionsl shown in Figures (3--10,inclusive, may be employed.

ln the form of such an ax shown in Figures G and 7, complementalrectilinear handle secllt) ets 27 and similar to handle sections l ofFigures 1-5, are similarly flattened at their forward ends andtransversely enlarged to form complemental guard plates 28 and 29 havingan outline approximating that of the ax blade 30, the lower edge of theguardplates being notched out at 30 to permit access to the finger notch32 in the blade when in inswung position between the guard plates. Theseplates are in parallel spaced relation forming a rigid bifurcated guardhead integral with the handle and their ends are rounded on thecurvature of a circle corresponding to the curvature of the upper ornon-cutting end of the aX blade which is pivotally mounted between theguard plates on the center of said circle by the pivot stud 33.

The'upper edges of the guard plates 28, 29 in the vertical diameter ofthe circle are provided with alined tapering notches 34 therein, and theax blade 30 is provided with similar notches 35 in its edge on radiallines of approximately ninety degree angularity, with one of thesenotches lying in the vertical diameter of the pivot 33 in the openedposition of the blade shown in Figure 6.

An elongated flat latching plate 36 havlng a width greater than theoverall width of the bifurcated guard plates 28, 29, overlies the flatupper edges of the guard plates and is bifurcated at its rear end toembrace the rear end of the top edge guard plate bifurcations andprovided with downwardly extendingV lugs 37 fixed to the side faces ofthe bifurcation by pins or other suitable means. The forward end of theplate 36 has a tapered locking tooth 38 depending from and traversingits bottom face to seat in the notches 34 O the guard plate and analined notch 35 in the ax blade 30 to lock the blade in its outswungoperative position shown in Figure 6 or 1nswung and housed between theguard bifurn I cation in inoperative protected position as isv readilyunderstandable. The elongated flat plate 36 is of spring steel vnormallytensioned downwardly but may be sprung upwardly by hand to release theaXle blade. The edges of the plate, as will be seen in Figure 7, projectoutwardly from the face of the guard plate and may readily be grasped bythe lingers for latch releasing pull.

In Figures 9 and l0, a similar ax having a modified form of latch andrelease is shown. The handle and guard plate sections, ax blade, p ivotand notches correspond to those of Figures 6-8, and are identified bysimilar numerals. Instead of usin a resilient latching plate anchored tothe ifurcated guard lying closely adjacent to and, in locking posi-vtion, parallel to the rectilinear flat upper edges of the guard plates.The forward end of this arm 40 is provided with a depending andlaterally offset tapered tooth 41 shaped to fit in the notches 34, 35.At its rear end the arm 40 is pivotally mounted by a pin 42 ony the sideface of the guard plate 28 at its upper rear end and is provided with anangular downwardly extending integral actuating arm 43, forming, ineffect, a bell crank lever. The lower end of this arm is engaged by theforward end of a coiled Spring 44 whose rear end may conveniently beanchored under tension by a handle rivet 27. This spring normally tendsto pull the lower end of the bell crank lever 40, 43, rearwardly and toforce and hold its forward latching end downwardly into latchingengagement with the notches 34, 35 of the guard plates and ax blade.

As a convenient means for moving the lever from latching position, athumb pad 45 is applied over the top of the arm 43 at a point betweenits pivot 42 and its lower end where it is conveniently contacted by thethumb of aA hand grasping the ax handle adjacent its guard head.Downward pressure by the thumb of this hand will release the latched aXblade and permit it to be inswung 0r outswung, as the case may be, bythe other hand. The handle portions of their integral guard platesections may be economically made by metal stamping or dieing operationsand' will provide a strong and rigid support for the cutter blade. Theform of the blade locking means may be varied and the contour of theside plates of the bifurcated handle head may be correspondingly variedto conform to different shapes and types of cutting blades. Otherchanges in construction and arrangement may be made to adapt the tool todifferent conditions of manufacture and use within the spirit of theinvention and the scope of the appended claim.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In hatchet and aX type tools, a handle porf ti-on formed of complementalmetal sectionsconnected with one another to form a handle, a bifurcatedguard head integral with said handle and formed of elongated portionsextending longitudinally from said handle sec-V tions, being wider thansaid handle portion and having its outer end rounded on the curve of acircle, a cutting blade having a contour substantially that of the guardhead, pivoted at its non-cutting end between the outer ends of the guardhead and provided with locking notches disposed substantially at aninety degree relation to one another and manually operable lockingmeans mounted upon the guard head and adapted to cooperate with eitherof such notches to maintain'said blade in either cutting or protectedposition.

DANIEL L. MILLER. WILLIAM E. PELTON.

